If you’re considering installing a rainwater tank, you undoubtedly want to utilise it for things like watering your lawn, washing your clothes, cleaning your car, and filling your pool. For cooking and drinking, you might want to have fresh, crisp rainwater on hand. This means you’ll have to connect your rainwater tank to your house and pump it into your home.
How do you pick the best water tank pump for your requirements? The majority of water tank manufacturers provide specific kits that incorporate a pressure pump. It’s worth asking them about any such bundles that might save you money over buying one individually, and they usually come with a pump cover that matches your tank.
Your water tank pressure pump will, of course, require electricity to transport the water to its destination. A flow rate of 20L per minute is required for home use (which is equivalent to your mains water supply). Most pumps can handle this, however additional factors can alter the flow rate and power requirements, such as:
- the distance water needs to travel between your tank and home,
- whether water needs to move upward, into multi-storey homes or units,
- the number of water outlets that need to be serviced, especially at the same time.
You might be tempted to go for the highest powerful pump you can find for the lowest price. However, keep in mind that the more powerful the pump, the more electricity it will use each time your rainwater is accessed around your home.
Although a more difficult setup, you might want to consider installing a gravity system to save energy. This will cut down on the number of times your pump has to turn on. In essence, you have a separate tank that is higher than the one you require (known as a header tank). Rainwater is piped into this tank, and gravity transports the water to where it is required in your home.
While most of the pumps provided will enough, if you have any doubts, we recommend consulting a plumber to better understand where you need the water and what will suffice. Check to see if your plumber is properly licenced in your state. There are occasions when you must adhere to certain standards, such as when putting up a switch to your mains water as a backup to your rainwater, which necessitates the use of a backflow prevention device.
For more information about pressure pumps for water tanks, contact our friendly staff to discuss your needs.